I recently returned from a three day trip to the swamp in Orlando called DISNEY!!  It was, as expected, amazing for my 5 year old daughter and her daddy, but for the forward thinking, ever wondering, hopeful visionary leader, I couldn't stop thinking about how successful and effective the "Disney Experience" was for me.   So here are FIVE reasons Disney keeps winning again and again and again...

5. YOU CAN ESCAPE YOUR FEARS, DREADS, and HURTS
Why is it we go on vacation anywhere?? We all need/want and desire a place to run away to, escape the reality of our work and the everyday struggles of life.  Somehow, Disney removes those things and you breathe differently, your days are long, the lines move quickly, and even through the occasional tired moment, you still escape to a different, better, and exciting place.  They make it easy.  They make it enjoyable.  They make it so fulfilling that you can't wait to go back.  
4. THERE ARE NO EMPLOYEES...ONLY CAST MEMBERS
Employees work.  Cast members act, live, perform, entertain, and are ALWAYS on the stage.  It is hard to find anyone employed there, who isn't 100%.  EVERYONE said Happy Birthday to my princess from dressed characters, to photographers, to custodians, and even members on break.  The commitment is truly remarkable.  
3. THE DREAM LIVES
Few places in this world are still driven by the dream of one man like current day Disney is driven by Walt's dream and vision.  Reading more about Disney, hearing they way he talked about the place he would build and grow, his dynasty, his land, and his mouse.  It is inspiring to know "If you can dream it, you can do it."
2. THE MOST IMPORTANT CUSTOMER IS 5
Yes.  I know I paid the bill.  I was not the customer.  The five year old that held my hand was the customer, but so was the five year old who lives inside of me.  The fountain of youth that happens when you walk through the gate, is unmatched anywhere. I ran just as fast as my daughter did to see my favorite characters, remember my times there, and create new memories that will hopefully carry to her children as well.
1. EVERYONE LOVES FIREWORKS
It is by far my favorite part of the experience...when the park stops, and for 20 minutes (which seems like longer) the magic carries everyone away.  Away from the crowd, the heat, the rain, the characters and the overpriced food.  The fireworks are the equalizer in language, culture, age, and disposition.  For those brief moments, tantrums stop, exhaustion takes a break, and we all celebrate whatever it is we dream.

What if we created escape for people, allowed our jobs not be be work, believe in the dream, live and serve the child in all of us, and give something away that everyone loves and lets everyone dream?? I would work there, live there, go there, shop there...so let's try to be a little more like Disney and see what happens....maybe we can do what we dream! 

I don't know about you, but I am sad.  I am not sure how much more I can handle when it comes to how extremism is tearing my world, our world, our children's world apart.  The fear, hate, disgust, and anger seem to be prevalent on tongues.  The removal of relationships and the judgement of friends and family seem to preoccupy minds.  The space for love, understanding, and forgiveness is absent in our hearts.  

I appreciate passion.  Passion is needed, desired, and is what drives us to do in the world.  Those who know me, know it is the one thing that I was made with that I know I can bring to the table and have been placed on this Earth to share.    

We are misusing it.  We have the choice to use passion in anyway we want.  The times I have let the fear and anger consume me, my passion is ugly, hurtful, and I have lost because of it.  It seemed important and necessary at the time, but in hindsight, I lost something I cannot get back.  The times when I have chosen loving and joyful passion are the times I planted a seed that continues to bear fruit.   

Hurt People...Hurt People.  I know you are hurting.  I know you are disgusted.  I know you are fed up and want it to stop.  I also know you have to share your voice and not sit silent. I too am hurt, disgusted, and fed up.  I too have to make sure I do not sit silent, but LOVE HAS TO PREVAIL.  We must share LOVE with our sisters and brothers whom we agree with, and our sisters and brothers whom we DON'T agree with.  

If you and I choose fear and hate, we are no better than those we struggle with.  Fear and hate make our mirror image some distorted sense of self that ACTUALLY looks exactly like the thing we are fed up with, just in different clothes with different colors.  If we look hard enough in that mirror, I KNOW you can see it...we are UGLY.  We are just as UGLY as anything we are standing against.  We have made what we believe in...UGLY. 

I care about YOU.  I want nothing more in life than for you to stop hurting.  I want to be your friend, value your thoughts, your ideas, and your hopes and dreams for this generation and the generations to come.  I want to give you love so that you can start erasing the fear and anger and hurt.  I NEED you to give me love, so I can start to erase the fear and anger and hurt.  We MUST share our passions with each other, but we MUST start doing it through the lens of LOVE instead of through FEAR and HATE.  

​Please.  It is our choice.  Look in the mirror and make sure the passion you ooze is one that can plant seeds to bear fruit for the future!  

Happy New Year!!  While celebrating with friends this weekend the old question popped up "What is your New Year's Resolution?".  People have been taking the opportunity to better themselves around the change of year for over 3000 years.  A 2007 survey suggests that 88% of people FAIL keeping their resolutions.  I believe if we CARE about our resolutions, we can increase the opportunity to find success.  

When we set goals we work to ensure they are SMART, but when we make resolutions, we don't have anything to guide us.  I believe we need to give CARE to our resolutions:

CHANGE.  Obviously a resolution needs to have a change element.  We need to remember how hard change is and what level of commitment that takes.  Setting a goal isn't always about implementing new habits, thoughts, and actions in our lives, but fulfilling a resolution is.  That challenge is why we need to have ACCOUNTABILITY

ACCOUNTABILITY is the driving force behind success in our resolutions.   Failure occurs when we, mere humans, have that moment of weakness and lose focus to implement the positive change we want for ourselves.  Finding ACCOUNTABILITY partner(s) to help guide us, ask questions, and encourage the change in our lives will work to help ensure our success. 

REAL.  Resolutions, if serious, need to be quality challenges with real outcomes.  A flippant or ill conceived thought turned into resolution will surely fail.  If you love chocolate, don't GIVE UP chocolate FOREVER..that isn't REAListic either!  Let us find substance in our resolutions and make our lives better!

EXCITED.  If YOU are not ecstatic about your resolution, your success chances will be limited.  Sharing your joy, celebrating, and keeping excitement in this endeavor will be keys to your overcoming and implementing your change.  Build in mini wins with each subgoal that will lead you to the big win of completing your resolution. 

Happy New Year!! Good luck giving great CARE to your 2016 New Year's Resolution...and let's change ourselves for the better this year!!!